TPITWOHEF

Chapter 196

Not only were the people of Chu State stunned, but most of the Jing Country onlookers were also amazed.

They had never seen such a novel irrigation system that saved so much manpower.

"What is this?!"

"No need for people to go in and water the fields?"

The Chu people on the opposite bank couldn't see clearly, but they felt it was miraculous.

The Chu boats that originally transported food now began a new business of ferrying people!

On the shore, Chu people, whether scholars, merchants, or commoners, all became excited. "Boatman, let me board! I'll pay in silver!"

"Yes, we won't go ashore, we'll just watch from the boat!"

"We're not violating the royal decree, are we?"

The Chu people once again put their clever minds to work, looking for loopholes in King of Chu's edict.

How could this be considered defying the royal decree?

Of course... it couldn't!

Having already paid one tael of silver to board the boat, King of Chu nearly slipped when he heard the clamor of the people.

Well, he was planning to cross the river anyway!

If King of Chu could go back in time, he would really want to stop himself from issuing that decree, which now made his face burn with embarrassment.

King of Chu himself was crossing the river!

Prime Minister Ji Duan and Princess Yunwu naturally followed, and many bold Chu citizens also boarded the boats.

As they approached the Jing Country shore, everyone could finally see clearly—

A dragon-bone-like wooden waterwheel was set up on the bank.

This waterwheel had wooden planks as troughs, with its tail immersed in the water flow. The other end had a small axle fixed on a wooden frame on the embankment, with two adult men on shore, stepping on wooden boards to rotate the axle.

As the axle rolled, it drove the dragon-bone waterwheel, drawing water from the river and delivering it to the fields.

"Excellent! This device is convenient!" Even King of Chu couldn't help but praise it!

Beside this foot-powered dragon-bone waterwheel, there was also a hand-cranked waterwheel.

This hand-cranked version was more portable, and nearby, people were using hand-cranked wooden plows to turn over the soil in the fields.

Clearly, these devices were much more convenient and labor-saving than pure manpower or oxen power!

"One person can irrigate about five mu of land in a day," explained a clerk from the Ministry of Works standing nearby.

"Further upstream, where the river is rapid," the clerk pointed ahead, "there's no need for foot power, the water flow alone drives the wheel, channeling water into the fields."

"!"

Both Chu and Jing people were amazed.

Farming would be so much easier from now on!

Their old backs could finally straighten up a bit.

[Oh, this is the irrigation skill book I exchanged earlier.]

Xiao Chuchu was on the opposite bank, held in Xiao Yunzhou's arms, watching contentedly from the front row.

She suddenly remembered the skill book she had exchanged long ago.